Department for Transport

Trains: Diesel Engines

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made, or plan to make, of Class 150 diesel multiple units in relation to their suitability for modern rail travel, taking into consideration (1) speed, (2) acceleration, (3) reliability, (4) emissions, and (5) convenience, comfort and noise for passengers; what kind of services and distances travelledsuch units are now suitable for; and what is their estimate of the useful future life of such units.

baroness sugg: There has been no assessment of the suitability of Class 150s. This will be a decision for the operators of Class 150s taking into account the needs of their passengers.

Large Goods Vehicle Drivers: Vacancies

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the Senior Traffic Commissioner for Great Britain's report that there is a shortage of about 45,000 heavy goods vehicle drivers in the UK haulage industry, and (2) the impact of the June 2016 referendum result on the number of EU nationals wishing to work in the UK haulage industry.

baroness sugg: The figure of a shortage of 45,000 heavy goods vehicle drivers is derived from one of a number of industry estimates. The Department for Transport’s assessment is that this is the approximate scale of the issue. Research indicates that there are many causes, including rates of pay, the industry’s image, lack of take-up of vocational training and the availability of driver facilities. We are assisting the industry in addressing this through Government support for a new apprenticeship standard and other actions. We have not made an assessment of the number of EU nationals wishing to work in the UK haulage industry.

Large Goods Vehicle Drivers: Training

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what actions they are taking to address the skills challenge faced by the UK haulage industry, identified in the Traffic Commissioner's Annual Reports 2016–17; and what assistance they are giving to the UK haulage industry in this regard.

baroness sugg: The Government is taking action on the skills challenge faced by the UK haulage industry and providing assistance in several ways. These include the Trailblazer apprenticeship standard for lorry driving, developed by the industry, for which there is Government funding available of up to £5,000 per apprentice. Jobcentre Plus, with support from the sector, launched a national spotlight on logistics and passenger transport on 22nd January (#JobsThatMove) to highlight careers for jobseekers. The Government is also supporting the sector in other areas, including the industry led “Think Logistics” initiative to raise the profile of logistics in schools and colleges, and the rehabilitation of offenders and military service leavers through better access to training and employment opportunities.

Cycleways

lord rowe-beddoe: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Sugg on 15 January, whether the use of cycle lanes can be limited to peak commuting times of the day.

baroness sugg: The provision of cycling infrastructure, including cycle lanes, is a matter for local traffic authorities. Mandatory cycle lanes, indicated by a solid white line, can operate at all times or at specific times of day. It is for the local authority to decide on hours of operation.

Carillion: Insolvency

lord truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of Carillion’s financial collapseon HS2.

baroness sugg: There is no operational impact on HS2. HS2 was awarded as a joint venture, comprising of Carillion, Eiffage and Kier. In the event of one of these parties not being able to fulfil their commitments, there is a guarantee that the other companies jointly involved in the bids will step in and ensure the successful delivery of the work.

Monarch Airlines: Insolvency

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Suggon 13 November 2017 (HL2729), whether Greybull Capital made a profit from its investment in Monarch airlines.

baroness sugg: Greybull Capital is not itself a shareholder in Monarch Airlines but they do perform an advisory and management role for the principal shareholder, Petrol Jersey Limited. The extent of any profit or loss resulting from Petrol Jersey Limited’s investment in Monarch Airlines has not yet been determined as it will depend on the outcome of the administration process and any asset realisations and distributions that may result from that process. The administration is still ongoing, and the timeline and process for concluding it is being determined by KPMG as administrator.

Monarch Airlines: Insolvency

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 5 December 2017 (HL3455), whether they have now established a more refined figure for the costs of repatriation to the UK of customers of Monarch airlines.

baroness sugg: We are not yet able to give a final figure for the costs of the repatriation operation as we are awaiting invoices from third parties. In line with the usual transparency guidelines on government expenditure and financial reporting the absolute full and final position will be made clear in the annual accounts for the department, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the Air Travel Trust (ATT), which should be published in June 2018.At this stage, the current forecasts suggest that the total cost of the repatriation operation remain broadly in line with the original estimate of around £60m. As explained in my written answer on 5 December 2017 (HL3455), we are focused on making sure that there is clear burden sharing of the repatriation operation, and are seeking to recover costs of the operation from third parties. We will in due course be able to report back with more detail.

Railways: Safety

lord moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what comparative safety data is available in respect of trains with guards, however designated, as against those without.

baroness sugg: Driver Controlled Operation (DCO) has been in safe operation for over 30 years on many of our commuter networks. It is also in safe operation across the whole of London Underground. The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) is responsible for the enforcement of Health and Safety law on the railways and this organisation has examined thoroughly the safety of DCO. A report on its findings in relation to Govia Thameslink Railways’ implementation of this form of dispatch as well as its guidance to train operators on DCO Principles has been produced and is available on its website. Its inspectors are satisfied that with suitable equipment, proper procedures and competent staff in place, it is a safe method of operation.

Electric Vehicles

lord moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what policiesthey are pursuing to encourage the public provision of charging points for electric vehicles.

baroness sugg: We want the UK to continue to have one of the best electric vehicle charging networks in the world. To help achieve that aim we have put in place a range of grant schemes to support the installation of charging infrastructure - on-street, off-street and at workplaces. Under the Government’s Go Ultra Low City Scheme £22.9m has been allocated to support the installation of infrastructure in several UK cities. Highways England also has a commitment of £15m to ensure there are charge points (rapid where possible) every 20 miles on 95% of the Strategic Road Network. At Autumn Budget 2017, the Chancellor announced £400 million for a new Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund (£200m new Government investment to be matched by private investors). This funding is supported by a range of policy measures including the Automated and Electric Vehicle Bill, currently in Parliament, which will help ensure that there are sufficient electric vehicle charge points throughout the UK, and that they are convenient and easy to access for all drivers.

East Coast Rail Franchise

lord radice: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Sugg on 13 December 2017 (HL3776),what compensation arrangementsthey have entered into in respect of the early surrender of the Virgin-Stagecoach east coast rail franchise.

baroness sugg: As the Secretary of State announced in his statement to the House on 11 January 2018, we are not agreeing to early termination of a contract in 2020 but the franchise is not delivering the profits the operator expected. The Department is preparing contingency plans as we do not believe the franchise will be financially viable through to 2020. The Secretary of State will report back to the House when a decision is made on contingency planning. It is important to understand that all premiums due to date under the contract have been paid and we currently receive premiums in line with their contractual obligations. From 2020 we intend to commence the East Coast Partnership, one of the first of a new generation of integrated regional rail operations. This will also include appropriate contributions from the new private partner under a long-term competitively procured contract.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Radioactive Materials: Safety

lord carlile of berriew: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps are being taken to ensure that the UK regulations for radiation protection and the control of radioactive substances willremain(1) effective, and (2) in line with internationally accepted standards facilitating international trade and cooperation, when the UK withdraws from the Euratom Treaty.

lord henley: This Government remains absolutely committed to high standards of radiation protection for workers, the public and the environment after the UK’s withdrawal from the Euratom Treaty. International standards for radiation protection and the control of radioactive substances are issued by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Irrespective of our future relationship with Euratom, we will continue to apply the international standards on nuclear safety and will remain accountable on nuclear safety matters through our membership of the IAEA. These standards are reflected in Euratom’s nuclear safety legislation. A programme to update UK legislation to transpose the revised Euratom Basic Safety Standards Directive, which sets out standards for radiation protection, is currently underway and is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

International Atomic Energy Agency

lord carlile of berriew: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps are being taken to enhance and further develop the UK's relationship with the International Atomic Energy Agency prior to, and following, withdrawal from the Euratom Treaty; whether a UK department has been clearly identified to lead this relationship and secure suitable outcomes across nuclear, non-nuclear and the wider radiation protection interests; and what process has been put in place to ensure that all relevant departments, in both the UK and the devolved administrations, work together to ensure that a suitable outcome is reached.

lord henley: The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is the lead UK Department for the relationship with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The UK plays a central role in the IAEA as a major contributor of financial and technical assistance, and is influential in shaping the Agency’s governance and policy as a permanent member of the Board of Governors.The Department coordinates across government, with the Office for Nuclear Regulation, the Devolved Administrations and other interested stakeholders, as well as with the UK Mission in Vienna, to build on our existing influence within the IAEA in support of the UK’s nuclear, non-nuclear and wider radiation protection priorities. We will continue to do this alongside shaping the UK’s future relationship with the EU and Euratom. The UK will continue to take a leading role in shaping the global nuclear safety and security regimes through its influence in the IAEA. We remain absolutely committed to maintaining high standards of radiation protection for workers, the public and the environment.

Radioactive Materials: Safety

lord carlile of berriew: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps are being taken to ensure that the UK maintains its position and reputation as a leader in radiation protection standards following withdrawal from the Euratom Treaty; whether those steps include the strengthening of the relationship with the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP);and whether Government funding will be provided to support participation in ICRP committees and working groups.

lord henley: Maintaining nuclear and radiation safety remains our top priority and this Government remains absolutely committed to the highest standards of nuclear and radiation safety and protection, and to support the industries that use radioactive substances. Radiation protection standards are already well established in existing UK legislation, which – like Euratom legislation – is and continues to be informed by and based on the recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and the safety standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This commitment is demonstrated by the fact that the UK is currently implementing the Euratom Basic Safety Standards Directive, which updates our radiation protection standards. Public Health England (PHE) does not make any financial contributions to the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) but provides contribution ‘in kind’ through the participation of its staff members to ICRP meetings, workshops and symposia, and by carrying out specific work at its Centre for Radiation Chemical and Environmental Hazards.

Radioactive Materials: Safety

lord carlile of berriew: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a reciprocal notification system will be established to ensure that the UK is informed of any dangerous experiments, as defined in the Euratom Treaty, undertaken by Euratom member states following withdrawal from the Euratom Treaty.

lord henley: Protecting the public and ensuring the highest standards of nuclear safety will always be top priorities for the Government, the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) and industry. The UK has a robust and well established domestic civil nuclear safety regime, and this will remain in place as we leave Euratom. We will continue to apply the international standards on nuclear safety as agreed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and will remain part of the IAEA’s nuclear emergency notification and response system, which includes Euratom member states. As stated in the Government’s Written Ministerial Statement on Euratom on 11 January 2018, the UK will be seeking a close association with Euratom. In negotiating such an association the Government will seek to maintain close and effective cooperation with Euratom on nuclear safety.

Radioactivity: Monitoring

lord carlile of berriew: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps are being taken to ensure that the UK maintains its monitoring programmes of the levels of radioactivity in the environment following withdrawal from the Euratom Treaty; whether a reciprocal notification system will be established to ensure that the UK and the Euratom member states can share such information;and what assessment they have made of whether this will be sufficient to provideconfidence internationally that the UK is meeting its environmental obligations, and to ensure that the UK is able to understand and provide timely responses to the potential implications of unplanned activities in other countries.

lord henley: Our arrangements for protection of the environment from nuclear activities and discharges of radiation will not change as a result of leaving the EU and Euratom. We remain committed to ensuring proper protection of people and the environment. These expectations and requirements are already enshrined in UK legislation, in particular the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2001, Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016 (in England and Wales, and the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 in Scotland). We will retain our radiation monitoring capability (RIMNET) which enables the UK to detect abnormal levels of radiation in the environment affecting the UK, including those originating from overseas incidents. Whilst the Euratom Treaty does establish some specific arrangements for reporting and sharing of information, the same principles of engagement and co-operation are embedded within the conventions of the International Atomic Energy Authority (IAEA), notably the Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident. Given that we and other members of Euratom will remain members of the IAEA, the UK will continue to have suitable arrangements in place.

Environment Protection

lord carlile of berriew: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether planning and consenting legislation, such as the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 (SI 2016/1154), will be amended to ensure that a favourable assessment from the European Commission is no longer required following withdrawal from the Euratom Treaty, prior to granting a permitor consent; and if so, how.

lord henley: The UK’s future relationship with Euratom is subject to negotiation with the European Commission. Our aim is to seek a close and effective association with Euratom in future which aims to maintain as much continuity as possible. Any potential amendments that may be required to legislation as a result of the negotiations are under consideration.

Consumer Goods: Safety

lord porter of spalding: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to take steps to introduce a publicly accessible national register of product recalls to help ensure that faulty and dangerous goods are removed from people’s homes; how many product recalls Electrical Safety First has received since 2007; and what assessment they have made of the level of such recalls.

lord henley: The Government is taking action to improve the safety of white goods and the recalls system. Last year, the Government upgraded its central product recalls website on gov.uk to make it easier for consumers to identify which products have been subject to recall or other corrective action. A new Office for Product Safety and Standards was announced on 21st January and it has commissioned a project to further upgrade and improve the recalls website. I understand that Electrical Safety First have identified 518 electrical products that have been subject to recall or corrective action in the ten years since 2007. Our system of product safety aims to ensure products are safe before they are placed on the market, but it also recognises that sometimes safety issues are identified at a later stage and it is important that where there is a risk to safety, those products are recalled or corrected.

UK Trade with EU

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they plan to address reported concerns of businesses that after Brexit the UK may need sign up to future EU rules over whichthe UKwould have no influence.

lord henley: The UK Government is proposing a unique and ambitious partnership based on our rules and regulation as being the same as the European Union’s at the start, maintaining our commitment to free trade and high standards – while allowing for us both to make changes where we want to, in a stable and orderly way. In part this is because we recognise that an alternative approach, such as a Norway-style agreement, would mean the UK having to adopt at home, automatically and in their entirety, new EU rules, over which in future we would have little influence and no vote.

Small Businesses: Loans

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have madeof the impact of Brexit on those small businesses that are trying to secure finance.

lord henley: The most recent figures from the SME Finance Monitor[1] (September 2017) show that 78% of applications for finance made in the 18 months to Q2 2017 resulted in a loan and overdraft. Established businesses are more likely to be funded, with 96% of applications for a loan or overdraft renewal being successful as against 63% of new applications. There is no evidence of any adverse direct effect on these figures arising from the decision to exit the European Union. It is worth noting that the proportion of SMEs planning to grow in the next 12 months has remained largely consistent over the last two years, with 45% reporting an intention to grow in Q2 2017, compared with 43% in the previous quarter. Larger SMEs (with 50-249 employees) report greater ambition to grow in the coming year, at 72%. [1] An independent report by BDRC Continental, September 2017https://www.bdrc-group.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/BDRC_SME_Finance_Monitor_Q2_2017.pdf



SME Finance Monitor
(PDF Document, 2.85 MB)

Radioisotopes

lord warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord O'Shaughnessy on 18 January (HL4659), which body or bodies in the UK will be responsible for setting and enforcing the standards for the safe use, disposal and transportation of medical isotopes after exit from the EU; and how will that body, or those bodies, ensure that the necessary upgrades in standards in those areas currently secured through EU directives are maintained in the UK after exit day.

lord henley: The safety and security of radioactive materials is a top priority for the Government. The UK already has robust domestic legislation in place to ensure that the keeping, movement and use of radioactive sources is tightly regulated, whether on nuclear sites or in hospitals. The UK’s regulatory regime is based on international regulatory requirements for sources informed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Following our withdrawal from the EU and Euratom, the UK will continue to meet its international obligations in full and ensure that UK law and regulatory oversight continues to deliver the highest standards of safety, in line with the relevant international frameworks.

Radioisotopes

lord warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord O'Shaughnessy on 18 January (HL4659), which body will discharge the framework-setting role currently performed by Euratom with regard to the safe manufacture, transport, use and disposal of medical isotopes.

lord henley: The safety and security of radioactive materials is a top priority for the Government. The UK already has robust domestic legislation in place to ensure that the keeping, movement and use of radioactive sources is tightly regulated, whether on nuclear sites or in hospitals. The UK’s regulatory regime is based on international regulatory requirements for sources informed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The UK will continue to meet its international obligations in full and ensure that UK law and regulatory oversight continues to deliver the highest standards of safety, in line with the relevant international frameworks.Medical radioisotopes are also subject to European medicines regulation which establishes a licensing regime and controls on the quality of materials, as well as manufacturing and distribution processes within Europe. In the UK human medicines are subject to national human medicines legislation which transposes the requirements of the European regulatory regime. This regime is enforced by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and will continue to do so after our withdrawal from the EU.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Donald Trump

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) when they were informed that President Trump would not be visiting London in February as planned, (2) whether they were aware that this decision would be announced on President Trump’s Twitter account and, if so, whether the reasons given in the President’s tweet were the same as those communicated directly to Her Majesty’s Government, and (3) whether there are any plans for a US Presidential visit to the UK this year.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: An invitation for a visit by President Trump has been extended and accepted. No date was confirmed for a visit. Details of dates and programme arrangements will be confirmed in due course.The opening of the US Embassy is a matter for the United States and the use of President Trump's twitter account is a matter for the President.

Syria: Peace Negotiations

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they support the attendance of the UN special envoy for Syria at the Russian-backed Syrian Congress of National Dialogue expected to be held in Sochi early in 2018; and whether they believe this meeting will contribute to and support the UN-led Geneva peace talks on Syria.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Attendance by the UN Special Envoy for Syria at the Russian-backed Syrian Congress of National Dialogue is a decision for the UN. We are concerned that refusal of the Asad regime to engage constructively in Vienna, despite Russian efforts, has damaged opposition confidence that Sochi can contribute to a political settlement. We look to the Sochi conference to support the UN's efforts to find a sustainable political settlement to the Syrian conflict, and we welcome Russia's stated commitment to support the Geneva process. We urge Russia to use all the influence it can to persuade the Asad Regime to cease its destructive and counterproductive behaviour.

Iran: Nuclear Power

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking (1) to support the strict application of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between Iran, the five permanent Members of the UN Security Council plus Germany, and the EU, and (2) to emphasise the importance of upholding the JCPOA, following indications by the President of the US that he will not continue to certify the waiver of key sanctions unless a “follow on” deal is agreed.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) is a UK security priority. The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary have continued to make this clear to their US counterparts. The Iran nuclear deal is a crucial agreement that makes the world a safer place by neutralising the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran. We continue to work closely with all parties to the deal to ensure its full implementation, including through the Joint Commission and regular working groups.

Turkey: Antiaircraft Missiles

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Turkey’s decision to acquire and deploy the Russian-made S-400 long-range air and anti-missile defence system was discussed with NATO; and to what extent they consider this decision to be in conflict with Turkey’s commitments as a NATO member.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Defence procurement decisions are a sovereign issue, and there was no requirement for Turkey to discuss its purchase of the S-400 system with NATO Allies. The Government agrees with the NATO Secretary General that Turkey's decision does not harm the interests of NATO. Turkey remains a strong and committed NATO Ally.

China: Taiwan

lord steel of aikwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications for cross-straits harmony and stability of the announcement by China on 4 January of four air routes in the Taiwan Straits without prior communication with Taiwan and of Taiwan's belief that this violates the negotiation results reached between the Taipei Airlines Association and China Air Transport Association in March 2015; and what representations they intend to make to the government of China in this regard.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We understand that the opening of the four new air routes in the Taiwan Strait on 4 January is a cause of concern for the authorities in Taiwan.Her Majesty's Government is assessing whether the introduction of these new northbound flights in the Straits will have any impact on aviation safety in the region.In line with our longstanding position, we encourage China and Taiwan to engage in dialogue to resolve this issue.

Gaza: Politics and Government

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what contact they have made with the new administration in Gaza; and with what results.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have not had any contact with the administration in Gaza. The UK retains a policy of no contact with Hamas in its entirety. We encourage the Palestinian Authority to fully resume its government functions in Gaza, and ensure that the reconciliation process is compliant with the Quartet Principles.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel following reports of the multiple shooting of a three-year-old Palestinian with live bullets during an Israeli military training session in the West Bank city of Tubas.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: There are a number of conflicting reports on this incident. It is not clear who is responsible for the shooting. Our Embassy in Tel Aviv engaged a number of independent human rights non-governmental organisations to seek further details, and was advised that there was no evidence that the Israeli Defense Forces were involved in this incident. As such, we have not raised this issue with the Israeli authorities.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel concerning the lasting effects of tear gas inhalation, and its reported use on Palestinians, especially in the Aida refugee camp.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We have not raised this issue with the Israeli authorities. We recognise the Israeli authorities' legitimate need to deploy security measures in some circumstances, but we have encouraged them to ​​avoid excessive use of force and to act in a way which minimises tensions. When there have been accusations of excessive use of force, we have urged the Israeli authorities to conduct swift and transparent investigations.

Israel: War on Want

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel concerning reports that War on Want, a non-violent human rights group, has been banned from entering Israel.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK is strongly opposed to the Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions Movement against Israel. We believe the best way to combat this movement is through discussion rather than proscription.British Government officials raised the recent Israeli publication of a list of organisations that may be subject to Israeli proscription with the Israeli Ambassador on 8 January and made clear our position. Officials from the British Embassy in Tel Aviv have also raised the matter with the Israeli authorities.

Balfour Declaration

viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of which of the aspirations contained in the Balfour Declaration have been fulfilled; and if not all, which ones they consider not to have been fulfilled, and why.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: While we are proud that the UK played a role in helping to make a Jewish homeland a reality, the Balfour Declaration remains unfinished business. That is why we are committed to ensuring that the whole of Balfour is fulfilled, through a two-state solution which provides security and justice for both Israelis and Palestinians. Our focus now is on encouraging the parties to take steps which bring them closer to peace.

Palestinians: Recognition of States

viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for (1) recognition of a Palestinian state, and (2) Jerusalem to be a shared capital, within a defined period of time, following the announcement by President Trump that the United States will recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel; and if they do not consider that there is a case to be made, why not.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Government wishes to see the creation of a sovereign, independent, contiguous, and viable Palestinian state living in peace and security, side by side with Israel, and with Jerusalem as a shared capital. We disagree with the US' decision to move its embassy to Jerusalem and recognise Jerusalem as the Israeli capital before a final status agreement. We believe it is unhelpful to prospects for peace in the region. The UK will recognise a Palestinian state at a time when it best serves the objective of peace. Recognition cannot end the occupation; only a negotiated agreement can. We regularly press both parties to engage in negotiations.

Palestinians: Recognition of States

viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for imposing a fixed timetable for the achievement of an agreed settlement for a Palestinian state on both the government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority; and, in the absence of any such timetable or agreement, whether they intend to unilaterally recognise the state of Palestine.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: A resolution of the conflict that leads to peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians is long overdue. But the imposition of fixed timescales without agreement from the parties, and given the present absence of direct talks, is unlikely to be productive. The UK will recognise a Palestinian state at a time when it best serves the objective of peace. Bilateral recognition in itself cannot end the occupation. Without a negotiated settlement the occupation, and the problems that come with it, will continue.

Israel: USA

viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made any recent representations to the government of the United States concerning the application of the provisions of the Jerusalem Embassy Act 1995; and if so, what response they received.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: While we have not discussed the specific application of the provisions of the Jerusalem Embassy Act 1995 with the Government of the United States, the Prime Minister made clear in her statement of 6 December 2017 that the UK disagrees with the United States' plans to move its embassy to Jerusalem and recognise Jerusalem as the Israeli capital before a final status agreement. The Prime Minister reiterated our position when she spoke to President Trump in December 2017.

Burma: Human Rights

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in securing full access to the Burmese districts of Rathedaung and southern Maungdaw to enable the UN fact-finding mission to assess reports from the Burma Human Rights Network of significant and lethal human rights violations.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK co-sponsored the UN Human Rights Council resolution of March 2017 that established the Fact-Finding Mission. We regret that the Burmese authorities have so far refused to grant the Mission access to Burma. We are maintaining international pressure, including through the UN Human Rights Council and UN General Assembly resolutions we co-sponsored in December 2017.The UK has repeatedly lobbied the Burmese authorities to cooperate with the Fact-Finding Mission. The Minister for Asia and the Pacific pressed the Minister for the Office of State Counsellor on this in their meeting of 21 November in Burma.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action, if any, they are taking through their international partners to protect Palestinian children in the Occupied Territories from being killed, injured or imprisoned by Israeli forces.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The issue of children in military detention remains a human rights priority for the UK. British Embassy officials in Tel Aviv most recently raised the issue with the Israeli authorities on 16 January, and senior British Government officials raised this issue with the Israeli Ambassador to the UK on 8 January. The Minister for the Middle East raised our concerns with the Israeli Government during his visit to Israel in August 2017. We have recently raised this as part of the UN Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review into Israel.We recognise that in some circumstances the Israelis have a legitimate need to deploy security measures to address instances of violence. We encourage that such measures are deployed in a way which minimises tension and using only appropriate force. When there have been accusations of excessive use of force, we advocate swift and transparent investigations.

Palestinians: Refugees

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for applying relevant provisions of international law to persuade Palestinians back to the negotiating table in order to resolve the Palestinian refugee crisis.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​While we have not made a specific assessment of this issue the British Government remains clear that there needs to be a just, fair, agreed and realistic solution to the Palestinian refugee question, in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1515. In practice, this means that any such agreement must be demographically compatible with two states for two peoples and a generous package of international compensation should be made available. We continue to press both the Israelis and Palestinians to return to direct negotiations.

Cabinet Office

Carillion: Insolvency

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their definition of the term “public sector contracts” which they are using in connection with employees of Carillion; and whether that definition includes (1) Private Finance Initiative contracts, (2) other types of public-private partnerships,and (3) work for non-departmental public bodies.

lord young of cookham: The relevant Carillion contracts are those drawn up under the Public Contracts regulations 2015. These are set out in the Regulations to ensure consistency of understanding and interpretation and be found at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/102/contents/made



Public procurement contracts regulations 2015 
(PDF Document, 705.07 KB)

Carillion

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many contracts they awarded to Carillion over each of the last three years without open book processes; and what was the value of those contracts.

lord young of cookham: Since January 2011, details of central government contracts above the value of £10,000 are published on Contracts Finder. Contracts published prior to 26 February 2015 can be viewed at:https://data.gov.uk/data/contracts-finder-archive Those published after 26 February 2015 can be viewed at:https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search Information on whether or not open book processes were used is not held centrally.

Carillion

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government by whose authority the Crown Representative was removed from Carillion in August 2017; and what assessment they have made ofwhether there were negative consequences in terms of insight or influence as a result of not having a designated Crown Representative.

lord young of cookham: This Government recognises the importance of managing relationships with Strategic Suppliers and their performance on a cross-Government basis, and has developed a range of strategies to do this, including the use of Crown Representatives.The role of Crown Representative for Carillion was vacant for three months between August and November 2017 following the retirement of the previous post holder. During this period, the Crown representative responsibilities were covered by the Government’s Chief Commercial officer and the Cabinet Office Director of Markets and Suppliers.

Department of Health and Social Care

NHS: Finance

lord clark of windermere: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much additional funding, in real terms, they have committed to the NHS for the year 2017–18; and what are the comparable figures for each of the previous 20 years.

baroness chisholm of owlpen: The Government has committed an additional 2.1% funding in real terms to the National Health Service for the year 2017-18. This is the extra money being given through the NHS England Mandate to front-line services. The following table sets out the comparable figures back to 2013-14, when NHS England was created. YearNHS England Mandate (cash) £ billionReal terms increase % (2017-18 prices)2017-18109.92.12016-17106.03.22015-16100.52.62014-1597.31.32013-1494.7 Prior to 2013-14, NHS funding was measured only through the Department’s departmental expenditure limit. A series of tables showing the Department’s total departmental expenditure limit from 1997-98 to 2013-14 is attached, due to the size of the data. During this period, the Government method of accounting changed from cash to a resource budgeting basis. The figures in different stages of the accounting change are not comparable.



Departmental Expenditure Limits 1997-2014
(Word Document, 17.23 KB)

NHS: Reorganisation

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what sanctions are available to deal with NHS organisations that do not fully engage with staff in accordance with the NHS constitution when considering major changes in the way services are provided.

baroness chisholm of owlpen: The NHS Constitution pledges to engage staff in decisions that affect them and the services they provide. All National Health Service organisations are expected to adhere to this expectation, but are not legally obliged to do so. A failure to engage with staff may lead to investigation and the imposition of mandated support or enforcement action. Foundation trusts have a council of governors, which includes staff representatives, which can hold the board to account.

Patients: Females

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will put policies and procedures in place to ensure that female patients who want to be treated by female NHS staff are not treated by males who have self defined as female; and if so, what are those policies and procedures.

baroness chisholm of owlpen: The Department does not have a policy on patients’ ability to specify the gender of the staff treating them. Individual National Health Service organisations set their own policies on this matter. As stated in the NHS Constitution, patients have the right to express a preference for using a particular doctor within their general practitioner practice, and the practice must try to meet this request. In addition, the General Medical Council guidance to doctors states that, when proposing to carry out an intimate examination, doctors should offer the patient the option of having an impartial observer (a chaperone) present wherever possible. This applies whether or not the doctor is the same gender as the patient.

Accident and Emergency Departments: Greater Manchester

lord bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the average waiting time at A&E departments in each hospital in Greater Manchester in each of the last five years.

baroness chisholm of owlpen: Data is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is provided in the attached table due to the size of the data. This shows the mean and median duration to treatment and duration to departure for all accident and emergency providers within the Greater Manchester area, for the financial years between 2012-13 and 2016-17. NHS Digital collect and publish this data at trust level, not at individual hospital site level.



Treatment Data tables
(Word Document, 22.46 KB)

Agency Nurses

lord clark of windermere: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord O'Shaughnessy on 10 January (HL Deb, col 182), how many of the 10,000 extra nurses on wards are agency nurses.

lord clark of windermere: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer byLord O'Shaughnessy on 10 January (HL Deb, col 182), how many of the 10,000 extra nurses on wards are qualified, registered nurses.

baroness chisholm of owlpen: NHS Digital publishes workforce statistics for substantive staff employed by the National Health Service trusts and clinical commissioning groups. Nurses on our wards are coded on the Electronic Staff Record as Acute, Elderly and General Nurses and are a subset of all nurses and health visitors. As at September, NHS Digital data shows there were 14,185 full time equivalent more nurses on our wards than in May 2010. All of these nurses are professionally qualified clinical nurses. As such, none are agency nurses.Figures are provided as full time equivalent as this is the most accurate measure of service capacity.

Prescription Drugs: Misuse

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whetherthey intend to establish a national helpline for people affected by dependence on prescribed drugs.

baroness chisholm of owlpen: The Government has no plans to introduce a national helpline specifically to support people affected by prescribed drug dependence. People who feel that they might be dependent on either prescribed or over the counter medicines should seek help from a health professional in the first instance, such as a general practitioner (GP) or pharmacist. Help and advice is also available from the 111 helpline or the online NHS Choices service. People who have developed problems with benzodiazepines, antidepressants, painkillers and other medicines should seek help from their GP in the first instance. Specialist advice for GPs and support for patients with complex and severe problems is available from substance misuse services which are available in each local authority across the country. The Department has commissioned Public Health England to undertake an evidence review to better understand the scope of the problem of prescribed drug dependence. The review will bring together the best available evidence on prevalence and prescribing, the nature and likely causes of dependence or withdrawal among some people who continue to take these medicines and effective prevention and treatment responses for each indication.

Hospital Beds

baroness jolly: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many beds there were in English hospitals in each of the last five years.

baroness chisholm of owlpen: Information is not available in the format requested. Data is not collected on total number of beds. NHS England collects quarterly data from all National Health Service organisations on available overnight and day only beds and the total number of occupied bed days by consultant led specialty, excluding critical care beds. There has been a long-term reduction in the number of general and acute beds open overnight because hospitals are dealing with patients more efficiently. The NHS now performs more day cases, length of stay is decreasing and more people are treated in community settings. A table showing the numbers of these NHS hospital beds is attached owing to the size of the data. NHS England statistics show that the bed occupancy rate has remained stable, between 84% and 89% (all beds) since 2000. Bed availability does fluctuate but the NHS has practice and experience in managing capacity to cope with both routine and emergency care.The majority of patients are discharged quickly, with average lengths of stay falling from just over six days in 2006-07 to just under five days in 2016-17.  



NHS Hospital beds data
(Word Document, 51.1 KB)

Hospitals: Admissions

baroness pinnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of emergency admissions to hospitals in England are for pre-existing conditions that could have been treated by a primary, community, or social care unit.

baroness pinnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the average cost per day of preventable emergency admissions to hospitals in England for adults with pre-existing health conditions.

baroness chisholm of owlpen: The information requested is not centrally collected.

Social Services: Per Capita Costs

baroness pinnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the average cost per day peradult of providing social care in England.

baroness chisholm of owlpen: This information is not held centrally.

Department for International Development

Occupied Territories: Economic Situation

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of economic progress in the Occupied Territories of Palestine following decades of aid dependency.

lord bates: According to the World Bank (August 2017), growth in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) is forecast at around 3% for the next three years years. This level of growth is not sufficient to create the necessary jobs for a growing labour force or to improve living standards. International bodies (the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the United Nations) conclude that Israeli constraints on movement, access and trade remain a key impediment to economic progress in the OPTs and that full potential will not be reached without a final political resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Donor support has been crucial in creating the enabling environment for economic progress including by improving the competiveness of the private sector and investing in infrastructure.

Overseas Aid

baroness sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much money they have provided to (1) the International Planned Parenthood Federation, and (2) Marie Stopes International, in (a) 2016–17, and (b) 2017–18 to date.

lord bates: In 2016/17 DFID channelled funding of £6.5 million and £40.5 million via the International Planned Parenthood Federation and Marie Stopes International respectively. Data for 2017/18 is not yet available.

Global Financing Facility

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what annual financial contributions they have provided to the Global Financing Facility since its inception.

lord bates: To date we have not made any financial contribution to the Global Financing Facility.Ministers have recently approved spend of £30m over 3 years to enable the Global Financing Facility to pilot innovative financing mechanisms. These will increase domestic and private sector resources for sexual and reproductive health and rights. Our investment will save lives and will enable women and girls to thrive and help transform their countries, our trading partners of tomorrow. It is the right thing to do and it is in our national interest.

Department for Education

Primary Education: Admissions

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of future demand for primary school places in England; and whether additional resources will be provided to those local education authorities with the greatest need for increased school places provision.

lord agnew of oulton: Forecasts of pupil place demand are provided by local authorities to the department through the annual School Capacity Survey and published here:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-school-capacity.Local authority level forecasts for primary and secondary age pupils are given in Table A5 and Table A6 (attached) respectively. The department also estimates the number of additional places needed to meet demand in each local authority by comparing pupil forecasts with existing and planned school place provision. These are published in the School Places scorecards here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-authority-school-places-scorecards-2016. Details of the calculations are contained in the technical notes for that publication. The department allocates basic need funding to local authorities to provide the school places required in their local area. The number of places we have funded by local authority can be found in Table 3, which is attached and available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/basic-need-allocations. This funding is based on local authorities’ own data, which means funding is provided for all the places councils say they need to create. The department has allocated £5.8 billion between 2015 and 2020 to deliver new schools places, which is on top of investment through the free schools programme.



Table 3
(Excel SpreadSheet, 86.83 KB)




Table A5 and A6
(Excel SpreadSheet, 92.74 KB)

Social Mobility: Stoke on Trent

baroness royall of blaisdon: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish the opportunity area delivery plan for Stoke-on-Trent.

lord agnew of oulton: The Opportunity Area delivery plan for Stoke-on-Trent was published on 19 January 2018, copy attached. It has been published on GOV.UK, alongside the other eleven Opportunity Area delivery plans: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-mobility-and-opportunity-areas.



Stoke-on-Trent Social Mobility delivery plan
(PDF Document, 7 MB)

Apprentices: Taxation

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address reported concerns by businesses that the current apprenticeship levy is not working; and what plans they have to address this issue.

lord agnew of oulton: In response to employer feedback, the department is keen to provide greater flexibility to levy-paying employers. From April 2018, we will allow eligible employers to transfer up to 10% of the annual value of funds entering their digital accounts to other employers, including smaller employers in their supply chain. The government will continue to work with employers and providers to determine how the apprenticeship levy is spent. This is to make sure that the funding system works effectively and flexibly for industry, meets employers’ skills needs, supports productivity across the country and supports our commitment to delivering three million apprenticeship starts in England by 2020.

Ministry of Justice

Commercial Law

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the UK remains competitive as a provider of international commercial law services following Brexit.

lord keen of elie: The UK is a world leading centre for legal services. To reflect this, we launched our international ‘Legal Services are GREAT’ campaign overseas last year. This campaign showcases the expertise of our legal services, the integrity and experience of our judiciary and the benefits of using English Common Law to a global audience that will help us build stronger links with both emerging and established markets. We intend to provide continuity and certainty for businesses, families and individuals by seeking continued civil judicial cooperation between the EU and UK. Such cooperation underpins the resolution of international commercial disputes. In publishing our position on future civil judicial cooperation in August 2017, we made clear our desire to continue this cooperation.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Flood Control: Finance

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of in-year Government cuts to flood defence budgets.

lord gardiner of kimble: There have not been any cuts in maintaining and improving flood defences. The Environment Agency (EA) has all the necessary resources it requires to undertake its flood risk management duties. This Government is investing £2.6 billion between 2015 and 2021 to protect the country better from flooding. This includes an additional £76 million, announced in the Budget in November. Our funding will support over 1,500 flood defence schemes, which will better protect more than 300,000 homes by 2021. This is a real terms increase in capital investment, from £1.7 billion in the 2010-2015 Parliament and £1.5 billion in 2005-2010. In addition, between 2015 and 2020 we will be spending over £1 billion on the maintenance of flood defences. This is a real terms increase in spending compared to the £812 million spent in the previous five years. When flooding does occur we are better prepared than ever before. EA now has an improved arsenal of kit with 500,000 sandbags, 25 miles of mobile flood barriers and 250 mobile pumps available at depots and ready to be moved where needed. The EA is also training the military, first responders and contractors to help with flooding.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their latest assessment of the effectiveness of the expansion of the badger cull across parts of England.

lord gardiner of kimble: In 2017, licensed badger control operations were completed by local farmers and landowners in eleven new areas and eight existing areas. The Chief Veterinary Officer has stated that the outcome of 2017’s culls indicates that industry led culling can deliver the level of effectiveness required to be confident of achieving disease control benefits. Results of the 2017 badger control operations can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bovine-tb-summary-of-badger-control-monitoring-during-2017 and: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bovine-tb-chief-veterinary-officers-advice-on-the-outcome-of-the-2017-badger-culls

Home Office

Immigration

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many staff were employed on immigration matters on 1 April in (1) 2005, (2) 2010, and (3) 2015.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office deploys officials on a range of work that could, directly and indirectly, be considered immigration matters. Operational immigration activity includes work undertaken by UK Border Agency in 2010 and more recently by UK Visas and Immigration, Border Force and Immigration Enforcement in 2015.UK Border Agency figures are published in the Resource Accounts 2009-10 at Table 6 on page 14 of Annex A on gov.uk at - https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/247694/0193.pdfFrom June 2014 Immigration Enforcement and UK Visas & Immigration figures are published quarterly on gov.uk - https://www.gov.uk/search?q=Border+and+immigration+cross+cutting+data

Asylum: Calais

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to co-operate with the government of France in establishing an asylum processing centre in Calais.

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to President Macron's new initiatives to tackle the refugee crisis.

baroness williams of trafford: This Government is fully committed to helping and supporting the most vulnerable refugees affected by the migration crisis. We continue to work closely with Greece and other EU Member States in respect of immigration matters. We have frequent contact with the Greek authorities, at official and ministerial level, to discuss the situation for migrants. The UK is providing support to help the Greek authorities, the European Asylum Support Office and the European Commission deal with flows of migrants, including by deploying experts and interpreters to the Greek islands as well as specialists to the EU Commission team in Athens. The UK is also working very closely with EU Member States to support unaccompanied asylum seeking children. However, the primary responsibility for unaccompanied children lies with the authorities of the Member State in which they are present; the UK Government does not have the authority to operate on the territory of another sovereign state without permission.We share a special relationship with France and have a strong track record of cooperating with France to manage migration and to protect our shared border. As part of the Sandhurst Treaty, signed between the UK and France on 18 January 2018, both parties agreed to further enhance cooperation in a number of areas, including migration. This includes a number of further measures in respect of unaccompanied asylum-seeking and refugee children, and a commitment to support France in its provision of accommodation facilities located outside the Calais and Dunkirk areas, such as Reception and Assessment Centres. Further information on the treaty can be found here: http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-01-19/HCWS415/.

Refugees: Children

baroness stroud: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children were resettled in the UK in each quarter of (1) 2016, and (2) 2017; and what were (a) the countries of origin, (b) the age, and (c) the gender of those children.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office publishes a regular breakdown of the nationality of refugees resettled to the UK each quarter as part of the Immigration Statistics release available on the GOV.UK website at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release. The most recent publication contains information on the number of resettlements up to 31 September 2017 inclusiveIn the period 1 January 2016 to 31 September 2017, the UK welcomed 9,897 refugees under its schemes, approximately half of which were female and half were children.

Asylum: Humanism

baroness bakewell: To ask Her Majesty's Government what protection is afforded to humanists seeking asylum in the UK on the grounds of religious persecution.

baroness williams of trafford: All claims for asylum are considered on their individual merits, and where people establish a genuine need for protection, or a well founded fear of persecution, refugee status will be granted.

Immigrants: Detainees

lord ramsbotham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have plans to introduce a robust screening process so that immigrants and asylum seekers who are survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, and others who are recognised as vulnerable under their adults at risk policy, are identified before they are detained.

baroness williams of trafford: In response to the Stephen Shaw review the Government has introduced a range of measures to identify and safeguard vulnerable people liable to be detained for immigration purposesThe adults at risk in immigration detention policy, which came into force on 12 September 2016 has introduced a case-by-case evidence-based assessment of the appropriateness of detention for any individual, including victims of sexual or gender based violence, who is considered vulnerable, balanced against the immigration control considerations that apply in their case. The policy is supported by the cross-cutting Detention Gatekeeper, which assesses vulnerability and provides challenge to decisions about who enters immigration detention, and scrutinises prospects and speed of removal. The Detention Centre Rules 2001 (Statutory Instrument) and published Home Office guidance provide additional safeguards including individuals being offered a physical and mental examination within 24 hours of admission to detention, a requirement for immigration removal centre doctors to report to the Home Office any special illness or conditions (including torture) that might affect an individual remaining in detention and processes for staff to follow when there has been a change to the physical or mental health of a detainee, or a change in the nature or severity of their identified vulnerability, that may impact on the decision to detain.

UK Border Force: Training

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much training is given to UK border staff.

baroness williams of trafford: Border Force has a workforce model clearly setting out roles and skills coupled with a workforce planning process enabling effective training and deployment.Staff can be deployed to areas of greatest need at short notice and have expertise in modern slavery and trafficking, deep rummage of commercial vessels and forgery detection.

Immigration Officers

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what qualities are required of UK immigration personnel so that claimants interviewed, including any who are very nervous, can respond with confidence and accuracy.

baroness williams of trafford: We are committed to delivering an asylum process that is sensitive to the needs of the claimants so that sufficient information can be obtained to facilitate fair and sustainable decisions on asylum claimsAll interviewing personnel receive extensive training on interviewing and considering asylum claims, and must follow published Home Office policy guidance when conducting screening and substantive asylum interviews and considering asylum claims.

Immigration Officers

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many immigration staff are needed to meet present requirements.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office Annual Report and Accounts 2016 – 17 shows the average number of full-time equivalent persons employed during the year across the operational directorates (Border Force, Her Majesty’s Passport Office, Immigration Enforcement and UK Visas and Immigration) of the Border, Immigration and Citizenship System (BICS).We actively monitor workflows across the BICS to ensure sufficient resources are in place to meet demand.

Asylum: Children

baroness sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of France about the timeframe in which the UK will accept unaccompanied asylum-seeking children who qualify under section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016 from France and other parts of Europe.

baroness sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of France about the timeframe in which the UK will accept unaccompanied asylum-seeking children who qualify under family reunification rules from France and other parts of Europe.

baroness williams of trafford: The UK is committed to close cooperation and collaboration with EU partners, including France, to ensure the efficient and timely operation of the Dublin Regulation and national relocation schemes, namely to relocate and support unaccompanied children under section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016.As part of the Sandhurst Treaty, signed between the UK and France on 18 January 2018, both parties agreed to further enhance cooperation in a number of areas, including migration. In respect of transferring the asylum claim of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children under Article 8(1) and Article 8(2) of the Dublin Regulation, we have committed to provide a decision on to France within 10 working days of the conclusion of engagement with the relevant UK local authority; and, if applicable, France will aim to transfer the child to the UK within 15 working days.In addition, we announced the allocation of a £3.6M development fund, as part of the UK’s overall £45.5M funding commitment, which the UK intends to use to work with France to identify projects which support genuine claims through the Dublin process and ensure that those with no prospect of transferring to the UK are informed of their options.The UK is fully committed to transferring the specified number of 480 unaccompanied children under section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016 as soon as possible. Over 220 children are already here and transfers are ongoing. After extensive discussion with France, Greece and Italy, we have agreed to amend the eligibility date on an exceptional basis to ensure we can transfer the circa. 260 remaining unaccompanied children and meet our obligation under section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016. The Government had previously insisted on the previous eligibility date of 20 March 2016 to avoid establishing an open-ended relocation scheme from Europe, as this would increase the pull factor that puts children’s lives at risk.In addition, we will deploy a UK Liaison Officer to France by 1 April 2018 to facilitate cooperation on unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.

Refugees: Children

baroness stroud: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children were resettled in the UK under the Vulnerable Children’s Resettlement Scheme in each quarter of (1) 2016, and (2) 2017, for which figures are available; and what were countries of origin for those children.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office publishes a regular breakdown of the nationality of refugees resettled to the UK each quarter as part of the Immigration Statistics release available on the GOV.UK website at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release.The most recent publication contains information on the number of resettlements up to 31 September 2017 inclusive. Between July 2016, the start of the Vulnerable Children’s Resettlement Scheme, up to 31 September 2017, the UK welcomed 412 refugees under the scheme. There is no published breakdown of the number of children.

Productivity

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reported concerns regarding the effect of lower inward migration on future productivity gains.

baroness williams of trafford: The Government has commissioned the Migration Advisory Committee to gather evidence on patterns of EU migration and the role of migration in the wider economy, ahead of our exit from the EU – and to review how the UK’s immigration system should be aligned with a modern industrial strategy. The Government will carefully consider any recommendations made to it by the MAC before finalising the details of the future immigration system.

Extradition

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the bars to extradition, including the extraneous conditions set out in the Extradition Act 2003 as amended, for protecting individuals against unsafe extradition.

baroness williams of trafford: The Government believes that UK extradition law provides a fair balance between the rights of an individual and the interests of justice. A number of reviews into the law and practice relating to extradition in the UK have informed this view, including the House of Lords Select Committee report on Extradition Law and practice, an independent review of the UK’s extradition arrangements by Sir Scott Baker, and reports from the Home Affairs Committee and the Joint Committee on Human Rights, amongst othersThe Extradition Act 2003 contains a number of statutory bars to extradition which the judge must consider in each case. If a judge decides that any of the statutory bars against extradition applies, he or she must order the person’s discharge. In addition, for requests made to the UK from outside the EU, there are further statutory bars to extradition which the Secretary of State must consider in each case.

Overseas Students

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the figures for the economic value of overseas students to the UK published by the Higher Education Policy Institute in its reportThe Cost and Benefits of International Studentson 11 January, and whether they plan to take these figures into account when determining net migration targets.

baroness williams of trafford: The Government welcomes the contribution that international students make to the UK economy. We recognise that international students enhance our educational institutions both financially and culturally; enrich the experience of domestic students; and become important ambassadors for the United Kingdom in later life. The independent Office for National Statistics is responsible for the production of the net migration statistics. In line with the internationally agreed UN definition, these statistics define a migrant as someone changing their normal place of residence for more than a year. Students are therefore included in the same way as other migrants. There is no limit on the number of international students who can come to the UK and there are no plans to change this. So long as students are compliant with immigration rules they should make a very limited contribution to net migration numbers.The Government has recently commissioned the Migration Advisory Committee to undertake a study into the costs and benefits of international students.

Asylum: Children

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether and if so when, and under what authority, the specified number of young asylum seekers to be received into the UK was fixed at 480.

baroness williams of trafford: In accordance with section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016, the Government conducted a comprehensive consultation with local authorities across the UK in 2016 on the number of children they would be able to accommodate and support in addition to the more than 4,500 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children already being looked after by local authorities across the country. Following the consultation, in April 2017, the Government set the specified number of children to be transferred under section 67 at 480. This is a one-off commitment.The Government maintains a continual dialogue with local authorities and Strategic Migration Partnerships. Any further places offered by local authorities will be gratefully received, and we will use them to fulfil our existing commitments, including ensuring a fairer distribution of unaccompanied asylum seeking children between local authorities through the National Transfer Scheme.

Passports: Interviews

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many centres exist for personal interviews for those seeking passports for the first time.

baroness williams of trafford: Her Majesty’s Passport Offices has 12 offices at which it conducts personal interviews for those seeking passports for the first time. OfficeAddressTownPost CodeBelfastLaw Society HouseBelfastBT1 3GNBirminghamKensington House 6F, Suffolk Street, QueenswayBirminghamB1 1LNDurhamFreemans ReachDurhamDH97 1PAGlasgowNorthgateGlasgowG4 0DXLeedsPart GF, 33 Park PlaceLeedsLS1 2RYLiverpoolPassport Office, 101 Old Hall StreetLiverpoolL3 9BDLondonGlobe HouseLondonSW1V 1PNNewportNexus House, Usk WayNewportNP20 2DWPeterboroughAragon CourtPeterboroughPE1 1QGPlymouthMayflower HousePlymouthPL1 1LDPortsmouthBuilding 1000 GF, Lakeside North Harbour, Western RoadPortsmouthPO6 3EZSalford QuaysDallas CourtSalford QuaysM50 2GF

Asylum: Mental Illness

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many asylum seekers have required treatment for mental breakdown in each of the last five years.

baroness williams of trafford: The Department does not hold data on the number of asylum seekers who have required treatment for mental breakdown in each of the last five years in a reportable formatHowever, UKVI has an Adult and Children Safeguarding Strategies in place to make sure vulnerable people, regardless of age, are protected. This includes identifying children and adults at risk and sensitively signposting them to appropriate support services.

Asylum: Finance

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to publish a typical list of foodstuffs and other items that can be purchased for the £35.95 weekly Azure Card.

baroness williams of trafford: There are no plans to publish such a list.The Azure card is no longer provided to failed asylum seekers supported under section 4(2) of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.People receiving this support are instead issued with an “Aspen card”, which they can use to buy food and other essentials to the value of £35.39 per week. The Aspen card is a pre-paid debit card bearing the visa logo and can be used at any retail outlets that accept visa payments.There are no restrictions on the types of food that can be purchased with the card.

Refugees: Children

baroness sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what extra funding and human resources they are providing to ensure that children eligible under section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016 are transferred to the UK without delay.

baroness sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will send additional UK Liaison Officers to Greece and Italy to help process the transfer of children eligible under section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016 to the UK.

baroness sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by the Home Secretary on 19 January (HCWS415), whetherthey sought and were given guarantees that no excessive force would be used against refugees and migrants by authorities inFrance as part of their supplementary agreement.

baroness williams of trafford: The UK is fully committed to transferring the specified number of 480 unaccompanied children under section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016 as soon as possibleAs part of the Sandhurst Treaty, signed between the UK and France on 18 January 2018, we committed to deploying a UK Liaison Officer to France by 1 April 2018 to facilitate cooperation on unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. We already have secondees based in Italy and Greece working on transfers of unaccompanied children to the UK under both the Dublin Regulation and section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016.However, as set out in our published policy statement, it is for France, Greece and Italy to refer potentially eligible children under section 67 of the Immigration Act as the children are on their territory. The UK must operate within the national laws of our partner countries.In addition, after extensive discussion with France, Greece and Italy, we have agreed to amend the eligibility date on an exceptional basis to ensure we can transfer the circa. 260 remaining unaccompanied children and meet our obligation under section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016. The Government had previously insisted on the previous eligibility date of 20 March 2016 to avoid establishing an open-ended relocation scheme from Europe, as this would increase the pull factor that puts children’s lives at risk.The UK and France share a special relationship and have a strong track record of cooperating with France to manage migration and to protect our shared border. The primary responsibility for refugees and migrants lies with the authorities of the country in which they are present. France has many of the same international obligations towards those on its territory as the UK, and President Macron has made clear that French authorities should behave in an exemplary manner.

HM Treasury

Bank Cards: Fees and Charges

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures they are taking to address concerns highlighted by the Federation of Small Businesses regarding the impact of new rules makingitunlawful to levy extra charges on customers who pay with credit or debit cards, on small businesses

lord bates: The Government recognises the pressures that small businesses are facing and that the new rules banning surcharging may have an impact on them.The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has published guidance on the ban, including on how retailers could manage an increase in their costs to accommodate the ban:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/664065/payment-surcharges-guidance.pdf The surcharging ban should help to ensure prices are transparent and consumers will not face a hidden fee just for wanting to pay in a particular way. This should help consumers to pick the most competitive deals.



payment surcharges guidance
(PDF Document, 135.39 KB)

Department for Exiting the European Union

EU Law

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend that EU regulations that are agreed before the UK leaves the EU, but which do not come into effect until after the UK leaves the EU, will have direct effect in UK law; and if not, what is their intention regarding the applicability of such regulations in UK law.

lord callanan: Clause 3 of the EU (Withdrawal) Bill will convert direct EU legislation, including EU regulations, into domestic law so far as they are “operative” in the UK immediately before exit day. EU regulations which are in force before the UK’s departure, but are stated to apply after exit day, will not be converted by clause 3. The government has announced its intention to negotiate an implementation period with the EU. The framework for this period would be the existing structure of EU rules and regulations. We will need to discuss with the EU the details of how the implementation period will work in practice during the next phase of negotiations. The implementation period will be given effect in domestic law through the Withdrawal Agreement & Implementation Bill.